Fear and Love
by Manco
Summary: Jacen and Jag want to propose to Tenel Ka and Jaina. Ben wants to tell Tahiri that he loves her. The problem is, the three men are afraid to tell the women. Can they get the courage? Find out.
1. A Meeting in Theed

I do not own Star Wars or any of it's characters. They are all owned by Lucasarts and George Lucas.

This story follows Ben Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and Jagged Fel. All three of them have a dilemma and it has something to do with the women they care about. Yes, Jaina, Tenel Ka, and Tahiri will make an appearance because well, they are crucial to the plot. But this story is mainly told through Jag, Jacen, and Ben's viewpoints.

This is a four chapter story and this is chapter one. Expect some humor and lots of romance. I hope you enjoy this.

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The water ran smooth and calm down the river in Theed. The street lights were dimly lit and the windows from the nearby buildings shined bright. The very sight of the light's reflection on the tranquil waters was breathtaking and sort of created a relaxing vibe in the area.

It was now midnight in the city of Theed. A time of the day when couples, young and old, came out and enjoyed a nice romantic night in the city. But then there were those like 20-year-old Ben Skywalker who would just come out to relax and relieve themselves of the stresses of everyday life.

Ben, who had long straight red hair and blue eyes, breathed out a sigh as he leaned back on the rather long bench, which was located right along the waterfront. He then smiled thinly as he listened to the peaceful and rather soothing sounds around him. From the soft slosh of the gentle moving water to the sweet tune that the violinists played at one of the nearby four star restaurants, it all just added to the peaceful feeling that was now coursing through Ben's veins.

The entire area was, without a doubt, the perfect place to clear the mind of any stressful thoughts. After a hard mission or a rough day at the Jedi Castle, (which was located right next to Theed Palace) this was pure bliss to Ben.

As soon as Ben closed his eyes, he suddenly felt a familiar presence approaching to his left. Ben frowned then opened his eyes and heard his cousin's voice.

"Ben?" asked Ben's cousin.

Ben looked over to his left and saw his cousin, Jacen Solo, standing near the edge of the bench.

"Jacen?" Ben replied with an incredulous look.

"What are you doing out here at this time of night?" asked the 37-year-old male Jedi knight, who had brown eyes and short brown hair.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Ben said with a thin smile.

"Well, I came out here to relax." Jacen replied as he folded his arms across his chest. "What about you?"

"I'm trying to do the same thing." Said Ben.

Ben breathed out a sigh then leaned back on the bench and added. "Plus I got some things on my mind that I'm trying to sort out."

"Well, Ben looks like you and I are in the same boat." Jacen said as he walked over and sat next to his cousin on the bench.

He then added. "I too have some things on my mind."

"I doubt your problem is like mine." Said Ben.

Jacen shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not; what exactly is it that's troubling you, my young apprentice?"

"Hmm…I don't know if I should tell you." Ben said skeptically.

"Why not?"

"Because if I tell you, you'll probably just tell me to forget about it."

"It depends, what exactly are we talking about here?"

Ben sighed then replied. "Well…you see…there's this woman."

"Ooohhhh." Jacen replied with a look of understanding. "So you have fallen in love with a woman, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Ben said as he looked down at the ground.

"And let me guess, you want to tell her how you feel about her."

"Yeah, I do, it's just…I'm afraid to." Ben said as he kept his gaze towards the ground.

"Hmm. Well, now," Jacen said as he leaned back on the bench. "The problem is now more understandable…. by the way, Ben, who is the woman?"

There was a long silence before Ben finally answered. "Tahiri."

"Tahiri!?" Jacen replied with a hint of surprise.

Ben nodded then looked away from the ground and to the side.

Jacen was silent for a second then a grin crept up on his face. "Well, this certainly is interesting." He said.

Ben looked at Jacen with a frown then asked. "What is?"

"First, my brother had a thing for Tahiri, and now you. It's kind of ironic if you think about it." Said Jacen.

A sad look appeared on Ben's face. He then looked away from Jacen and back to the ground.

Jacen noticed this and immediately tried to cheer Ben up. "Hey, look. I know, you're scared and all. But like I tell you in training, you must focus on the positives. Even though I think it's…interesting, that you fell in love with the same woman that Anakin fell for long time ago, I feel that you should tell her how you feel. I mean, who knows, you and her have been around each other everyday, she might feel something for you. As well."

Ben, who still had a sad look on his face, stared at jacen then replied. "You know, it's funny you mention Anakin. He's actually part of the reason why I'm afraid to tell Tahiri that I love her."

Jacen frowned. "How so?" he asked.

Ben folded his arms across his chest. "I heard some of the tales about Tahiri and Anakin. Anakin loved Tahiri. He held a special place in his heart for her. They had a special bond from what I hear. I bet when he…passed away, he held on to that love for her. And even though he's gone, she probably holds on to his love in her heart."

Ben looked away from Jacen and to the water. He shook his head and added. "I fear that I might come between that love. And I don't want to."

"First of all, Ben." Said Jacen. "You don't even know for sure if she feels that way about you. And secondly, if she does feel that way about you, she'd probably have a place in her heart for both you and Anakin. I mean, it's not like the heart runs out of space or something. So there's really nothing to worry about right there. It's really up to you at this point. Personally, I think you should tell her."

"Hmm. I don't know, Jacen." Ben said with uncertainty.

"You won't know for sure unless you tell her, Ben." Said Jacen.

Jacen then folded his arms and added with a rather grave look on his face. "Besides, look on the bright side, at least your situation is no where near as frightening as mine."

Ben turned his gaze back to Jacen then asked curiously. "And what exactly is your situation?"

"Let me put it to you like this: it's one thing confessing to a woman that you love them, it's another thing to ask her to marry you." Said Jacen.

Ben thought for a moment then it dawned on him. "By the cosmos, you're going to propose to Tenel Ka?" Ben replied with a smile and in a joyous tone.

"I WAS going to propose to her today. But-"

"But what?"

"But I got afraid that she was going to say 'no'. In fact…I have this deep itching feeling that she will say 'no' on the spot if I ask her." Jacen said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Wait a minute, just a second ago, you told me I wouldn't know how Tahiri felt unless I tell her about my feelings. And now here you are going against your own advice when a similar thing is happening to you."

"Well, this is different though."

"How is this different? I mean, aren't you the one who constantly tells me not to focus on the negatives?" countered Ben.

"Yeah, but the difference is this negative thought of mine could easily become a negative reality." Replied Jacen.

"Master…" Ben said as he shook his head. "You're going against your own advice."

"Yes, and as your master, I urge you not to be like me and conquer your fear by telling Tahiri how you feel about her."

Ben shook his head again. "I don't know if I can do that. But I know you can propose to Tenel Ka."

"No. At this point and time, you can tell Tahiri and I can just sit and imagine how it would be like to have Tenel Ka as my darling wife."

"She would say 'yes' if you ask her."

"I'm not so sure about that." Jacen countered.

"Why?" Ben asked with a frown in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Because she might like things the way they are. Marriage is a huge step. She may not want to take that step. I mean, after all, she does have her duties as a queen mother." Said Jacen.

He then added in a sad tone. "And compared to her, I'm nothing but an insignificant little peasant. I can remain her boyfriend. But she probably wouldn't want me as her husband."

Jacen dropped his gaze to the ground with a very depressed look on his face. There was a moment of silence until Ben spoke.

"She loves you, right?" asked Ben.

"I guess she does. She tells me everyday." Replied Jacen.

"Well you see, there's a high chance that she might accept your proposal." Ben said confidently.

Jacen breathed out a sad sigh. "I doubt it. She wouldn't accept."

"Yes she would."

"No she wouldn't."

"Yes, she WOULD." Ben said a little more forcefully.

Jacen looked at Ben with a frown then countered with the same amount of force. "No, she WOULDN'T."

"YES, SHE WOULD."

"NO, SHE WOULDN'T."

"What are you two prattling on about?" asked a calm, manly voice from the left of the bench.

Ben and Jacen, who still had frowns on their faces, looked to their left and saw 38-year-old black haired and blue-eyed, Jagged Fell, standing two feet away from the bench. Jag, who was wearing a brown tunic and black pants, had his arms folded across his chest and stared at the two Jedi with an eyebrow raised.

Jacen was the first to reply. "Oh, we're just having a peaceful discussion about our dilemmas with women."

Jag stared for a second then replied in his usual calm but stiff tone. "It sounded more like a debate than a peaceful discussion."

"Yeah, well…you know." Ben said nonchalantly.

The young adult Jedi then asked curiously. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Jag?"

Jag briefly looked over at the water then back at the Jedi. "I came out here to relieve my brain of a certain dilemma that's been making my days rather…uncomfortable."

"Sounds like you came to the right bench." Said Jacen. He then offered. "Have a seat."

"Actually, I'm looking for a place that sells liquor." Said Jag.

He then added as he took a seat next to Jacen. "But I think I can spare a minute just to find out about you gentlemen's dilemmas."

"Pretty much our problem is fear and love. And how they work so well together." Ben said in a tone of annoyance.

"Huh?" replied a baffled Jag.

"Well in other words," Jacen said calmly. "Ben is in love with Tahiri but is afraid to tell her how he feels about her. And I want to ask Tenel Ka for her hand in marriage but I'm terrified beyond reason."

Jag looked at them for a second then spoke. "Aren't Jedi supposed to be fearless?"

"On missions, we're fearless. With love and women, we're cowards." Said Ben.

"But I heard for a Jedi that fear leads to anger, so-" replied Jag.

"In this case, fear leads to nervous, nervous leads to frightened, frightened leads to terrified." Jacen said in a nonchalant tone of voice.

Jag, who was slightly confused by the Jedi's unique change of the cycle, thought for a minute about what they said then silently looked over at the tranquil moving waters in front.

Jacen looked at Jag then asked. "So what's your problem, Fel?"

Jag turned his gaze to Jacen then replied. "Mine? Mine is similar to yours, Jacen."

"Really?" Jacen replied in an interested tone.

"Yep." Said Jag. He looked down at his hands then spoke again. "You see…I love your sister more than anything. So much that I, want to ask her to be my wife. I have the ring, but I'm afraid to propose to her."

"Wow…your situation really is like mine." Said Jacen.

"No, I think it's worst." Replied Ben. "For you, Jacen, there's a 10 chance that Tenel Ka will say 'no'. And for Jag, there's an 85 chance that Jaina will say 'no'."

"You got your percentages all wrong, Ben." Replied Jacen. "It's more like 90 for me and 80 for Jag."

"Sheez. I was sort of expecting one of you to convince me to stop being a coward and just propose to Jaina. Instead you guys have as much confidence in her saying 'no' as I do." Jag said while folding his arms across his chest.

"Well…remember, you still have a 20 chance." Jacen said reassuringly.

"You have a 15 to me. But still that's higher than the chance of Tahiri liking me." Said Ben.

Jacen rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to my apprentice. His situation is way easier than ours."

"Actually it is." Jag said in agreement.

Ben slapped his forehead with his right hand then slowly rubbed it down his face.

"WHAT IS SO EASY ABOUT MY SITUATION!?" Ben said in an annoyed tone and with an incredulous look on his face.

"Simple. It's a win, win situation." Jag said calmly.

"How is it a win, win situation?" asked Ben, who still had an incredulous expression on his face.

Jag then explained in a very intellectual style of tone. "Well, you see, Ben, unlike me and Jacen you have no serious or sensual relationship with a woman. You just have an established friendship and you simply wish to take it in a more serious direction. However, because of that well-established friendship, it creates a win, win scenario. If Tahiri indeed feels the same for you that you feel for her then your friendship will turn into a more serious relationship. But if she doesn't, you still have that friendship. Where as with me and Jacen, if our proposals get turned down, it would mean that the women we love don't love us enough to the point that they would want to spend the rest of their lives with us. Don't get me wrong, your situation is stressful…just not like ours."

Ben thought for a minute about what Jag said. After a moment of silence, Ben nodded then spoke. "You guys are right. Your situations are far worst. But that doesn't mean I'm not afraid."

"I think we made it quite clear that we're all pretty much afraid." Said Jacen.

All three of them agreed on the 'afraid' part then turned their gazes to the water. For several minutes, they just stared and relaxed in silence near the gentle moving water. But as time went on, thoughts of the three women swept into their minds. Images of all the good times they had shared with the women coursed through their brains like the sooth flowing water in front of them.

The thoughts were actually starting to make them feel really miserable and pathetic. Here they were, three men who have overcome countless of dangerous scenarios, are afraid of the very ones who have made their days worthwhile. It was ridiculous and the three men were beginning to have enough of the nonsense.

Jag spoke first. "Gentlemen, we should be ashamed of ourselves. We are acting utterly foolish about this whole thing. I mean, why should we be afraid? We have looked death in the eye and have fought dozens of battles. So we shouldn't be afraid of the people who made our days bright."

"Jag's right." Replied Ben. "We're acting stupid."

"Yeah, I guess." Jacen said with uncertainty.

Jag snapped his fingers then said. "How about this, gentlemen. Let's make a vow to each other that tomorrow at four 'o'clock, the three of us will tell the women that we love what is on our minds. How about that?"

Ben and Jacen thought for a minute about the offer. Ben was the first to respond. " Sounds like a plan. I'm in."

Both Jag and Ben looked at Jacen, who was silent and had his arms folded. He then looked from Jag to Ben.

He breathed out a sigh then said in a surrendering tone. "Alright. I'm in."

Jag gave a nod, smiled, and then said in a confident tone. "Then it's settled. At four tomorrow, I will propose to Jaina. Jacen, you will propose to Tenel Ka. And Ben, you will tell Tahiri that you love her."

They shook each other's hands then sat back and relaxed for the rest of the night. The deal was set, now they just had to make it so.

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That is the end of chapter one. I hope you all liked it. The next chapter will be up later.


	2. Jag's Proposal

Hmmm. No reviews yet. Anyway, each of the three male lead characters have their own chapter that will conclude their side of the story. Each of the following chapters take place at the same time period. This chapter is Jag's segment and will conclude his side of the story. I hope you all enjoy it.

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Jag took a deep breath as he strolled down the halls of the Jedi Castle. Four 'o'clock had come and he was now heading towards the Jedi Castle's hangar, which was where Jaina was currently located at. Fear was starting to creep up on Jag. He was getting closer to the hangar, which meant it would soon be time for him to pop the question to Jaina.

As soon as he saw the hangar's entrance in the distance, his heartbeat quickened. Slowly, Jag approached the entrance then immediately entered the hangar. He stopped for a second then scanned the area for his girlfriend. He finally spotted her working on the outside of her Millennium Falcon sized ship, the HAWKEYE.

It was at this point where Jag was beyond nervous.

_Kriff! Why did I have to come up with such a foolish idea!_, Jag thought with a nervous look on his face.

He took a deep breath then stared at Jaina. To Jag, the 37-year-old female Jedi looked absolutely beautiful. Jaina had long brown hair and had brown eyes. She was currently wearing a grayish shirt and pants that hugged perfectly on her slim figure. Jaina truly was an attractive woman.

Determination rose in Jag. The nervous look that was once on Jag's face had been replaced with a look that was calm and cool.

_This is no time to be a craven coward. I love Jaina. If I don't ask her now, I might regret it for the rest of my life. _Thought Jag. Without hesitation, Jag walked straight towards Jaina and the HAWKEYE.

"Hello, Jaina." Jag said as he stopped a meter away from her.

Jaina, who had her hands inside a small compartment underneath the HAWKEYE, didn't even look at Jag. She just simply replied. "Hey, Jag."

"So, um…" Jag said as he turned his gaze to the ground.

He tried to figure out what to talk about. He didn't want to propose just yet. He kind of wanted to work his way to it. The problem was, the immense amount of nervousness that he was now feeling had erased all traces of conversational subjects from his brain.

_Oh, for crying out loud. Why can't I come up with anything? I never had a problem coming up with a conversation before._ Jag thought to himself.

He looked back at Jaina and saw that she was really focused in on her current project.

_Kriff, she looks so beautiful when she's working._ Jag thought with a smile.

He shook his head then made himself get back on track. _Anyway, I got to come up with a conversation so I can work my way to the proposal…but what to talk about? Let's see, the weather? No. Music? No. Flying? No. Uh…Ice Cream??? No, no, no._ Jag thought frustratingly.

He then looked at the HAWKEYE. _Perfect! Why didn't I think of it sooner!?_

"How's the repairs on the HAWKEYE coming?" asked Jag.

There was a little clang followed by Jaina's reply. "Just fine. I'm actually almost done."

She removed her hands from the compartment and Jag saw that in her hands were a wrench and a hydrospanner. She walked over to her toolbox and placed the two tools back in the box.

"Now all I have to do is check the circuitry, the engine, and then turn her on to make sure she's running right." Jaina said as she picked up a rag and wiped her hands.

Jag smiled thinly then walked closer to Jaina.

"Knowing your outstanding handiwork, the HAWKEYE is going to be running better than when it took its first flight." Said Jag.

That typical Solo lopsided grin appeared on Jaina's face, which made Jag's heart feel like it was doing a continuous loop da loop.

"I doubt that, but…"replied Jaina. She looked up at Jag, who was now only 15 inches away from her, then added softly. "Thanks for the compliment."

There was a brief moment of silence between them until Jaina curiously asked Jag. "So, um, what were you so nervous about?"

_Oh Kriff, don't tell me._ "Nervous? What do you mean?" Jag replied uneasily.

Jag looked into Jag's eyes with a frown then folded her arms across her chest.

"Well just a minute ago, I felt a great deal of nervousness emitting from you." Said Jaina. "So I was wondering what was bothering you."

"Oh…uh…" Jag said as he looked down at his feet.

_Well, that's just great._ Jag thought miserably to himself. When he had been thinking about what to talk about, Jaina had obviously felt his nervousness through the Force. Because of this, it meant that it was now time. It was time for him to give her the proposal.

"Uh…" Jag said nervously as he turned his stare from the ground and to Jaina.

He could tell by her silence and the look on her face that she was waiting for an answer. For some reason, he could no longer keep eye contact with her. Apparently, the fear within him was now really high on offense and bravery was extremely low on defense.

_This is it, Jag. Now…or never._ Jag thought frighteningly to himself.

"Jaina, I…" Jag said nervously.

He looked at Jaina and paused. He was so scared he didn't know how to begin. His once calm and controlled composure had totally evaporated. Fear had totally taken him and Jaina could easily tell.

Jaina walked even closer to Jag then placed her hand on his arm.

"I don't know what it is that has you so shook up but…whatever it is, you know you can tell me." Jaina said reassuringly as she gently rubbed his arm. She was actually beginning to get concerned. She had never seen Jag this nervous before.

It was her touch that lightened his fear. He looked into her lovely eyes and that's when the words finally came to his mind.

"Jaina…the reason I was so nervous was because of something that I wanted to ask you. Something…important." Said Jag.

"What is it?" Jaina asked while keeping eye contact.

Jag took a deep creath then spoke sincerely. "I love, Jaina…more than anything in the universe. Whenever I have a dark day, you're always the one that makes it bright for me. Before I met you, my heart was empty and held very little emotion. But you, Jaina…you filled that empty void and showed me what love really is. I can't imagine my life without you in it…and I don't want to."

He then pulled out a small white box from his pocket and got down on one knee. He looked up into her eyes, which were now filled with much love and emotion. He opened the box and in it was a shiny 3-karat gold ring.

"Jaina, my love…will you marry me?" Jag asked sincerely with all his heart.

His heart was pounding rapidly as he waited for her answer.

Jaina smiled happily then shook her head lightly and said. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for you to ask me this."

A big happy smile started to creep up on Jag's face.

"Yes, Jag. I'll marry you." Jaina said in a loving tone.

Filled with immense joy, Jag embraced Jaina in a long and affectionate hug. He was so happy that his heart felt like it was soaring through space doing simultaneous zero g rolls. Jaina broke the hug then leaned up and kissed Jag passionately on the lips. Jag wrapped his arms around Jaina and deepened their now intense and loving kiss.

The fear that haunted Jag was now gone. Love and happiness was the only thing that dominated him now.

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That concludes Jag's side of the story. The next chapter will deal with Ben and Tahiri. And the chapter after that will be about Jacen and Tenel Ka, which is the storie's conclusion.


	3. Confession of love

Here it is. The new chapter. This one follows Ben and concludes his side of the story. I will say though that this one chapter is the reason why the story has a T rating. Let's just say there is some mush ahead.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

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Ben paced back and forth in his average sized bedroom. A few minutes ago, he contacted Tahiri via comlink and asked her if she wanted to hang out with him in his quarters. She gladly accepted and was now on her way over to his quarters, which meant it would soon be time for him to confess his feelings to Tahiri.

Fear at this time would be an understatement. Terrified better describes how Ben felt at that moment. His heart was beating rapidly and he was completely baffled on how he should tell Tahiri.

_Okay, Ben. Think, think. What would be the right way to tell her?_ Ben thought to himself.

He stopped then said. "Tahiri…I love you."

Ben paused then shook his head and went back to pacing.

_No, no. That's too basic. I need to come up with something original. Something that would take her breathe away. Hmm…maybe something like this._

Ben stopped then once again pretended like Tahiri was in front of him. "Tahiri, darling. I love you more than the birds love the sky." He said in a suave, classy tone of voice.

His eyes widened when he realized just how bad that sounded.

_Okay, now that just sounded really cheesy and stupid. It had rejection written all over it._ Ben thought as he began to pace again.

He stopped then clutched his head in frustration. _What am I going to do?_

Suddenly he heard a ring at the front door and knew that it was Tahiri. _Great day in the morning, couldn't she have taken her time in coming._ Ben thought frighteningly to himself.

Ben breathed out a big sigh then exited his bedroom and made his way to the front door of his quarters. He opened the door and saw Tahiri standing before him with a smile on her face.

35-year-old Tahiri Veila was a foot smaller than Ben. She had long blonde hair and green eyes. She had a slim figure and currently wore an olive green shirt and green pants. Ben looked at her up and down and immediately noticed how her outfit hugged her curves perfectly.

_Man, she looks hot. _Ben thought with a smile.

"Hey." Said Ben.

"Hey." Tahiri replied.

There was an awkward silence until Tahiri said. "So, um…are you just going to stand there and look at me all day or are you going to let me in?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry. Please come in, Tahiri." Replied Ben.

As soon as Tahiri entered, Ben closed and locked the door. They both walked into the medium sized living room and went straight for the medium sized brown couch.

"Do you want me to get you something like a drink?" Ben offered politely.

"Oh no, I'm perfectly fine." Tahiri replied.

She sat herself down on the left side of the couch and then added. "Thanks for offering though."

Ben, who was now feeling slightly more relaxed, gave a nod then sat himself down next to Tahiri. They both looked at each other and immediately Tahiri asked curiously. "So, what have you been up to?"

Ben was silent for a second then he finally replied. "Um, nothing much. I've been relaxing most of the day."

_Yeah right._ Ben said sarcastically to himself mentally.

He then added. "And you?"

"I've been doing the same thing pretty much. I typed in my journal for a while and then watched a few holomovies." Tahiri said as she comfortably leaned back on the couch.

"Really, which ones?" Ben asked with interest.

"Oh, 'Tales of Corruption' and 'Queen Jamalia'."

"Hmm…" said Ben. He thought for a second then replied. "I don't recall seeing those before. Were they any good?"

"Well, 'Queen Jamalia' was good. I recommend you see that one of these days. As for 'Tales of Corruption', well…I didn't really like it that much." Said Tahiri.

"How come?"

Tahiri folded her arms across her chest and said. "I don't know it just seemed like two hours of mindless violence, foul language, and drugs."

"Well, it is called 'Tales of Corruption'." Said Ben.

"I know, but it just wasn't my type of holomovie."

Ben shrugged. "That's cool."

There was a moment of silence between them and that's when Ben looked at the time. It was now ten minutes past four 'o'clock and Ben was starting to contemplate on whether or not he should go through with the confession. Even though he loved Tahiri, he highly doubted that she felt that way about him. She was, after all, older than him. And at one time, she was Anakin's girlfriend. There was so much in favor of her not liking him in a romantic sense.

_But like Jacen said, I'll never know for sure unless I tell her my feelings. _Ben thought nervously.

Ben knew what he had to do, but he just couldn't help but be afraid.

_Alright, here goes nothing._

"Tahiri." Ben said as he looked at her.

"Yes?" she asked, as she looked him straight in the eye.

The moment her green orbs made contact with his, a huge burst of fear erupted in Ben. He was beyond afraid now. He was even beyond nervous. He was frightened. So frightened that he didn't know what to say.

Worst of all, several frightening thoughts of how Tahiri might reject him flooded into his brain. One of them, however, really affected him. It was the worst thought ever.

_What if I tell her and then she rejects me and breaks off our friendship forever._ Ben thought depressingly to himself. _Maybe this isn't such a good idea._

Tahiri looked at Ben with confusion as she waited for him to respond. After a minute she responded. "Uh…Ben?"

Ben, who now had a sad look on his face, looked away from Tahiri. Tahiri was now even more confused and curious as to what was causing Ben to act so strangely.

"Ben, what's wrong?" asked Tahiri. "You were fine a second ago, well, at least until you said my name."

Ben looked at Tahiri then said. 'I'm sorry, Tahiri, it's just…there was something I wanted to tell you."

Tahiri looked at him funny then scooted closer to him.

"Well, that shouldn't get you down. I mean, I am your pal, so you can tell me anything." She said as she began to message his shoulder.

To Ben, her touch was very therapeutic and was starting to help him think clearer.

He turned his gaze away from Tahiri and thought. _I did make a vow yesterday. But then again, all this could just be in vain…Ah, screw it! Just do it._

Ben looked at Tahiri then said. "Tahiri."

Tahiri stared him in the eye and waited.

Ben sighed and continued. "The thing I wanted to tell you was…was that I…"

Ben paused and looked her in the eye lovingly. He then finally finished. "I love you."

A surprised and somewhat shocked look appeared on Tahiri's face. Her mouth was now slightly open. She just stared at Ben. For two minutes, no one spoke a word.

Her reaction was causing the fear in Ben to rise incredibly. He was truly afraid at the moment. The fear was actually so immense that even Ben was surprised that he wasn't shaking. He was about to say her name but he couldn't. The fright was too strong.

_This is it. My worst fears are about to become a reality. She's going to reject me and is never going to want to speak to me again. And there will be nothing I can do about it._ Ben thought to himself sadly.

He quickly snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Tahiri speak.

"I…I don't know what to say." She said as she slowly looked away from Ben.

"I know what you're going to say." Ben replied sadly. "You're going to tell me that you don't love me then say that you never want to speak to me again."

Tahiri frowned then immediately looked back at ben. "Why would I say that?" she said incredulously.

Her reply surprised Ben. He didn't expect her to say that.

"Uh…" Ben responded.

Tahiri shook her head. "Ben…I love you too…it's just…well, I didn't think you loved me in that sort of way. That's why I was a little surprised." Said Tahiri.

Now it was Ben's turn to frown. "Tahiri, how could I not love you." He said.

"Well, I just figured you'd get turned off because of my half Yuuzhan Vong personality. And the fact, I'm not really the most attractive woman in the galaxy."

Ben could've sworn he heard her say she wasn't attractive.

He immediately smirked. "Tahiri, if you're not attractive than I'm the king of the universe."

Tahiri giggled at his comment.

Ben looked at her lovingly then added sincerely. "Honestly, Tahiri, everything about you is wonderful: your personality, your kindness, your beauty. Everything about you I love."

Tahiri smiled sweetly and that's when it happened. Without hesitation, Ben planted his lips on Tahiri's. At first, she didn't kiss back but it wasn't long until she wrapped her hand around Ben's head and pulled him closer deepening their kiss.

Their breathing became rapid as they both slowly fell back on the couch kissing with intense passion. Tahiri, who was now on top of Ben, slowly broke their kiss.

She looked down at Ben with a smile and said. "I love everything about you too, Ben."

She leaned down, kissed him softly on the lips, and then added. "Except that one cologne you use."

Ben frowned and then asked in a serious tone. "Wait a minute, what's wrong with my cologne?"

Nothing…nothing is wrong with the one you have on. It's that Nubian one you purchased."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner that you hated it?"

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings at the time. But…since we're about to become more than just friends, I figured I should let you know."

"Oh." Ben said bluntly with a raised eyebrow.

Tahiri was about to kiss him again but then Ben remembered something and he had to ask.

"Wait…what about Anakin?" Ben asked.

"What about him?" Tahiri replied with a frown.

"Don't you still-?"

"Ben, I could never forget Anakin. He'll always have a place in my heart. But that doesn't mean there isn't a special place in my heart for you. I love you."

She caressed his hair. "Now kiss me, jeedai." She said in a Yuuzhan Vong accent.

Ben smiled. "With pleasure." He said.

Ben then kissed her hungrily and passionately. He wrapped his arms around her back while Tahiri rubbed her hand through his long red hair. They both opened their mouths and allowed their tongues to touch. Tahiri softly moaned as she felt Ben's hands explore her entire body. As soon as Tahiri was about to undo Ben's shirt, Ben broke their kiss.

"Why don't we…go somewhere more comfortable." Ben said not breaking eye contact.

Tahiri agreed and then they both got up walked towards Ben's bedroom.

They both stopped before the bedroom door. Tahiri wrapped her hands around Ben's neck and said. "I love you, Ben."

Ben wrapped his arms around the woman he loved and replied. "I know."

They both smiled then kissed each other passionately. They entered the bedroom, which was where they would both soon show how much they love each other.

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I told yah there was mush. Anyway, that was the end of Ben's side of the story. The next and final chapter will deal with Jacen and his situation with Tenel Ka. I hoped you all are enjoying this story so far.


	4. Conquering Fear

Well, this is the last and final chapter of this tale. This chapter is all about Jacen and his fear of proposing to Tenel Ka. I could've had one of the other segments as the ending for this story but I felt that Jacen's segment( the way it flows and ends) was a more fitting as an ending than the Jag and Ben's segments.

Here it is. The conclusion to this story.

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_I have faced many challenges. Have overcome incredible odds. Have gone toe-to-toe with deadly foes…so WHY THE HECK AM I AFRAID OF THIS!?_ Jacen thought to himself as he slowly walked up the steps that lead to Theed Castle's entrance. _Maybe because I know this is an automatic lose situation._

Within Jacen, confidence was nowhere to be found. Fear and lack of confidence dominated him. He wasn't even near Tenel Ka yet and already he felt incredibly nervous. He hadn't felt this nervous since the day he took Tenel Ka out on their first real date and sadly, that night didn't go as perfectly as he had hoped. Now he feared that today was going to end in disaster.

_I might as well as put this down as one of the worst days of my life. The moment I propose to her, she's going to turn me down quicker than I can say 'Ewok'. Why am I even doing this?_ Jacen thought sadly to himself.

Jacen was almost to the entrance, but frankly he wasn't in a hurry. He loved Tenel Ka with all his heart, but he knew that not even the power of love could overcome the laws of royalty. The fact was, she was a queen mother of Hapes and he was just a poor little Jedi Knight. Even though she was a force user herself, Jacen highly doubted that she'd want to marry a guy who makes Force using his main and only profession.

_Why would she marry a guy like me? She probably prefers marrying someone of royalty. Someone suave, classy, and dangerously handsome…okay, maybe I fit into the 'dangerously handsome' category. But still, a prince or a king would be more to her liking for marriage._ Jacen thought as he walked up the final steps.

As he approached the entrance, two royal guards, whom automatically knew who he was just by looking at him, immediately greeted him.

"Greetings, master Jedi. Please state your business inside the castle." The first guard said in a polite tone.

That was one thing about the Nubians. They were always very polite, which explains why they never had many wars.

_Now if only every planet could be like Naboo and its residents. We wouldn't have so many dumb wars._ Jacen thought as he politely replied. "I came to see Queen Mother Tenel Ka."

"Queen Mother Tenel Ka is currently speaking with the Queen. But you may still precede on forward, Master Jedi." Said the second guard.

Jacen gave a nod then proceeded on forward into Theed Castle. He walked down a few hallways then stopped and reached out with the Force. He could feel Tenel Ka's presence emitting from somewhere outside.

Jacen folded his arms and thought for a second. _Outside…hmm…she and the queen must be in the garden._

He breathed out a sigh then continued down the hall, which would eventually lead him to a path to the garden. As he strolled down the giant halls of Theed Castle, several frightful thoughts of what could happen when he proposes appeared in his mind. She was going to turn him down for sure, but what made him more frightened was the mere thoughts of how she was going to do it.

Jacen knew it was going to sting real badly when she says 'no' to his proposal. It was actually starting to make him feel downright depressed. In fact, the fear inside him started to deplete and be replaced by pure sadness.

He really wished he could be Tenel Ka's husband. A perfect one that would love her, comfort her, and just, well, spend every minute of everyday with her. But no matter how much he wished, he knew that such a wish would never come true.

It only took him about a minute to get to the garden. He took a few steps then stopped and looked around the colorful but quite beautiful environment. He finally spotted Tenel Ka and Queen Teraia walking and chatting happily side by side with…three handmaidens following behind them.

_Oh no._ Jacen thought miserably to himself. It was one thing asking Tenel Ka for a private chat with one woman around, it was another thing asking her with four women around watching. It was going to be extremely uncomfortable and Jacen knew it.

_Maybe I should wait until later. Or better yet, just call it off since I already know what her answer is going to be._ Jacen thought as he took a retreating step backwards, which ended up being a huge mistake.

Jacen was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice it through the Force. While he had been scanning the area for Tenel Ka and thinking to himself, one of the queen's white Nubian cats had snuck by and laid itself a foot away from Jacen's foot.

So the moment his foot stepped on the cat, the feline gave out a very loud and pain filled cry.

"Woah!" shouted Jacen.

The cat's cry of pain startled Jacen so much that it caused him to stumble side ways, fall backwards off the path, and land smack into a flowerbed. Jacen just laid there flat on his back wondering what did he do to the universe to deserve this.

_Can the day get any worst?_ Jacen thought to himself miserably.

"Jacen!" a worried Tenel Ka shouted as she, the queen, and the handmaidens rushed over to where Jacen was.

_Yep, it gets worst._ Thought Jacen.

The five women stopped and that's when Tenel Ka reached down and helped Jacen out of the flowerbed.

"Jacen, are you alright?" Tenel Ka asked in a concerned tone as she gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Uh…yeah, I'm…just fine." Jacen said awkwardly as he flicked off a pink flower petal.

The three handmaidens giggled as he tried to get the remaining few pink petals out of his hair. Their giggles just made Jacen feel even more humiliated.

"I'm glad you're alright, Master Jedi." Said the 20-year-old black haired and brown eyed Queen Teraia.

Jacen gave a quick thin smile then looked to his left and saw the small white cat sitting on the branch of a nearby tree.

_Thanks a lot, buddy._ Jacen thought sarcastically as he glared at the cat.

"Jacen, what are you doing here anyway?" Tenel Ka asked curiously as she folded her arms across her chest.

Jacen looked at Tenel Ka and the four women then said. "Oh, I uh…uh…"

The five women were staring at him and it was making him feel really nervous and uncomfortable. In fact to Jacen, it felt like their stares were making him shrink to the size of an atom.

He breathed out a sigh then finished. "I came here because I needed to talk to you about something."

"Really? About what?" Tenel Ka asked.

Jacen briefly looked at Queen Teraia and her handmaidens then back at Tenel Ka. "Um…in private." He said uncomfortably.

"Oh." Replied Tenel Ka.

Queen Teraia and her handmaidens smiled and gave each other knowing looks.

"We understand." Said Teraia. She then looked at her handmaidens. "Come, ladies. Let's leave these two lovers to their privacy."

The handmaidens giggled while Jacen and Tenel turned red at that statement. Jacen, however, was redder. The handmaidens, who still had smiles on their faces, gave a nod then turned and began making their way towards the exit.

Queen Teraia looked back at the couple and said. "I'll talk to you later, Queen Mother. And you too, Master Jedi."

"See yah, your Highness." Said Tenel Ka with a smile.

"Yes, good bye, your Highness." Jacen said very politely.

Queen Teraia smiled then turned and walked towards the exit.

Sadness was once again rising in Jacen for he knew it was soon going to be time to propose……and get rejected.

Tenel Ka looked at Jacen then asked in an interested tone of voice. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I, uh…just wanted to, uh…uh…" Jacen said as he looked at Tenel Ka with a nervous expression on his face.

Tenel Ka gave Jacen a funny look then walked closer to him. She was waiting for him to finish his sentence but she was also getting concerned.

At this point, fear and sadness were swirling in Jacen like a violent tornado. He was afraid of rejection and sad because he knew that he was going to get rejected. And that's when his nervous expression became one of sadness.

He wished that things could go like in his dreams. Where he proposes to Tenel Ka and she happily accepts. But sadly in reality, the worst-case scenarios always have a high chance of occurring.

_No matter what I do or say right now, it's going to end on a sour note. Despite all the love I give her, she'll never love me enough to be my wife._ Jacen thought sadly. _Let me get this over with._

Jacen looked Tenel Ka with sadness in his eyes. For a while, he just stared into the eyes of the 37-year-old Hapan queen mother. To Jacen, Tenel Ka was the most beautiful woman in the cosmos. She had long red hair and stunning gray eyes. She had a slim figure and was currently wearing one of her green Hapan outfits that showed off a little bit of her skin and cleavage.

Tenel Ka didn't break eye contact with Jacen. With love and care in her eyes, she walked closer to Jacen and gently placed her hand on his cheek.

"Jacen…what's wrong?" she asked with concern in her voice.

Jacen took her hand and without thinking, leaned down and kissed her on the lips softly and lovingly. Tenel Ka was a little surprised by his actions but she soon kissed him back with the same fervor. He let go of her hand then immediately wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss.

As soon as Tenel Ka placed her hand behind Jacen's head, their kiss had become more intense and full of emotion. Every bit of love that Jacen felt for Tenel Ka, he expressed in that one kiss. He was kissing her like as if it was the last time he'd ever get to hold her and kiss her. This was his way of telling her that he loved her more than anything.

Jacen didn't know how long he and Tenel Ka had been kissing intensely and passionately. All he knew was that it felt like bliss.

Tenel Ka finally broke their intense tongue-dancing kiss slowly and then took several breaths.

"Wow…"Tenel Ka said as she took a few more breaths. "Talk about a kiss that can take a woman's breath away. Wow."

Jacen looked at her with an expression that was a mixture of sadness and love. He caressed her cheek then said sincerely. "I love you."

Tenel Ka smiled and replied softly. "I love you too."

She then asked. "Is that what you wanted to tell me earlier?"

Jacen slowly shook his head. "No." he said. "That wasn't it. It's actually more like a question that I want to ask you."

"What is it that you want to ask me?" Tenel Ka asked with an interested look on her face.

Jacen took a deep breath then took her hand.

"I know what you're probably going to say." Jacen said as he looked into her gray eyes lovingly. "But I don't care anymore. You…make my heart complete. Tenel Ka-."

He then got down on one knee with her hand in his.

"Queen Mother Tenel Ka, I love you more than life…will you be my wife?" Jacen asked sincerely and affectionately.

He didn't even attempt to look at her reaction. He just bent his head down and closed his eyes like as if he had already lost.

Tenel Ka, who had a loving smile on her face, squeezed his hand gently and said. "Jacen. Jacen Solo."

Jacen opened his eyes and looked up at her. _This is it. The rejection._

Tenel Ka stared him in the eye and then added. "I would be more than honored to be your wife."

Jacen blinked. He couldn't believe it. _Is this…a dream? No…it couldn't be. She really…she really said 'yes'!_ Jacen thought as a big happy grin formed on his face.

As soon as Jacen stood up, Tenel Ka kissed him on the lips. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the kiss. They both slowly broke their kiss then looked at each other with happy smiles on their faces.

Jacen then picked Tenel Ka up by the waist and twirled her around. She giggled and he too gave out a little laugh.

This was the happiest day of Jacen's life…well, at least until the wedding day.

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That was it. Jacen, Jag, and Ben conquered fear itself and are now even more intimate with the women they love. I hoped you all enjoyed this story.


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